Dairy Co-ops Told to Purchase More Milk
INDIA - In an indication that there was an unrest brewing among dairy farmers in the country, the Centre has asked major milk co-operative societies in the country to purchase all the milk being brought to them by farmers in flush season.
3 January 2018
1 minute read
All major co-operatives such as Amul (Gujarat), Nandini (Karnataka), Sudha (Bihar), Verka (Punjab), and Vita (Haryana) were directed to ensure that the milk being brought by farmers to them should be purchased without discrimination, said an official release issued by the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday.
Procurement rises
According to the release, the procurement of milk in November last year was 20 per cent higher than that a year ago. The stock of skimmed milk powder is currently at 1.17 lakh tonnes and is expected to touch 2 lakh tonnes by the end of the current financial year, it said.
According to The Hindu Business Line, the Ministry said it has asked the States and milk co-operatives to chalk out plans to ensure that milk farmers were getting better returns.
Milk in welfare schemes
Currently, co-operatives purchase only 10 per cent of the milk produced in the country and are expected to increase it to 20 per cent.
The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries has urged all the States to include milk in the mid-day meal as well as anganwadi schemes.
It also asked to consider including milk under the public distribution system.
TheCattleSite News Desk
